About Buying Online

The worst place to purchase a puppy isn’t a place at all… it’s CYBERSPACE!

Buying a puppy on the Internet is a gamble. Don’t be fooled by cute pictures and elaborate web sites. ALL puppies are cute and anyone can develop a fancy site. You can not verify any info without visiting.

Why the Internet is No Place to Get a Puppy

#1: You don’t get to meet your puppy and see where it was raised. And this is the most important (and fun) part of getting a pup!

cyberpuppies

  • Will your puppy be energetic and playful? Scared and defensive? Aggressive? Healthy? Were the parents well cared for? You can’t even begin to guess without visiting.
  • Is he coming from a responsible breeder? A puppy farm? Backyard yahoos with a computer? There is no way to know without visiting in person.

#2: Most puppies sold over the Internet are from puppy farms.

  • Responsible breeders wouldn’t dream of selling pups over the Internet. They don’t ship their beloved puppies to strangers. Would you?
  • The internet provides disreputable “breeders” a direct avenue to YOU…the excited consumer eager to get a puppy ASAP. BUYER BEWARE! See Hazards of Buying Online below.

This fraud can happen to anyone, even well-meaning people who really believe they are being careful, and may have even gotten recommendations from others. Your friends or neighbors may have dodged the bullet but you and your pup may not.

Where Should I Buy a Pup?

For a successful PupQuest, think about a pup from…

The Hazards of Buying Online

  • Many puppies are very sick upon arrival.
  • You know how kids get sick more easily when they are “run down”? To a puppy with an immature immune system, the stress of shipping has the same effect. They’re at risk for much more than a sniffle, though. Many pups shipped by “breeders”, pet shops, and shelters develop potentially deadly diseases.
  • Shipping young puppies long distances during the most sensitive period of behavioral development can result in insecure, fearful dogs.
  • Often buyers get puppies that are not the breed/age/sex they “ordered”. (Inside Edition video on Internet Puppy Sales.)
  • Sellers suddenly become impossible to get in contact with after the purchase of a sick, behaviorally unsound, or non-existent pup.
  • Scams abound — many people pay for puppies and never get them.

What about rescues and shelters on the Internet?

It’s fantastic that you want to adopt! Be aware that much of the info on this page is applicable to adoption, too. Check out our rescue/shelter page to find out more…